Ushi-Tora
Celebrate the joys of Japanese craft beer at this Shimokita pub

Photos by Kohji Shiiki

Finding Ushi-Tora is something of a mission—but definitely worth the hassle. The bar is tucked away on the second floor of a building in a small square near the station’s Odakyu line crossing. The sign, in some fairly funky squiggly hiragana, is not the most helpful. After overshooting the pub, we sought directions at a koban and then again from a helpful local. Barring any navigational mishaps, it’s a short three-minute walk from the south exit of Shimokitazawa station.

Ushi-Tora’s name (literally, “Ox-Tiger”) comes from the Chinese zodiac signs of the co-owners, two self-confessed beer otaku who moved from their previous bar in Nishi-Ogikubo two years ago because it couldn’t hold enough beer taps. The two, Shinsuke Yoshida (the ox) and Akio Terasaki (the tiger), can be found tending the bar six nights a week, discussing and recommending the various beers on offer. They are serious about what they serve, and offer only draft jibiiru (craft beer).

Of Ushi-Tora’s 26 taps, five or so hold the beers of the house while the rest rotate regularly. As a result, the beer menu changes daily—last year, the bar served around 120 different microbrews, and more than 90 percent of them Japanese.

Since the lineup differs so regularly, mentioning individual brews here isn’t really practical. It’s best to ask the owners for their recommendations. Guest beers cost ¥630-¥900 for half-pints, and ¥980-¥1,480 for pints. Regular offerings include the popular Yona Yona Real Ale (¥630/¥980) and the House Ale (¥840/¥1,260). If you’re hungry, the kitchen offers up several dishes; the miso pizza (¥840) is recommended. Other food items include jerk chicken (¥840), three kinds of tofu—wasabi, miso and momen (all ¥630)—and a simple but delicious cabbage dish (¥320), which is just a big plate of leaves with an excellent spicy miso dip. All items, unsurprisingly, pair well with beer.

The interior of Ushi-Tora is comfortable and stylish enough, but clearly people don’t come here for decor; they come for the beer and friendly atmosphere. Customers are mostly Japanese beer enthusiasts in their twenties and thirties, with the odd group of Westerners dropping by. I had expected it to be an overwhelmingly male affair, but, in fact, drinkers are split 50-50 along gender lines. Recent coverage in overseas media, such as an article on Japanese craft beer in The New York Times, has increased the number of foreign customers. The two owners say they have now started studying English so they can communicate better—about beer, of course—with non-Japanese speakers.

Other than a monthly Curry Rice Night, when the bar serves a version of the staple Japanese food infused with beer, there aren’t many special events. According to the owners, this is because at Ushi-Tora, every day is a beer festival.

2F Sankyu Bldg, 2-9-3 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku. Tel: 03-3485-9090. Open Wed-Mon 5pm-1am, closed Tue. Nearest stn: Shimokitazawa. http://ushitora.jp

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